Israel won’t allow Hezbollah to get advanced arms, report

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israel hezbollah flagsIsrael said it would not allow advanced weapons to fall into the hands of Hezbollah, after a raid on Syria that opposition sources said had hit an air force garrison believed to be holding Russian-made missiles destined for the militant group.

Israel has a clear policy on Syria and will continue to enforce it, officials said on Friday, after U.S. sources said Israel had launched a new attack on its warring neighbor.

Israel declined to comment on leaks to U.S. media that its planes had hit a Syrian base near the port of Latakia, targeting missiles that it thought were destined for its Lebanese enemy, Hezbollah.

“We have said many times that we will not allow the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah,” said Home Front Defense Minister Gilad Erdan, a member of the inner security cabinet which met hours before the alleged Israeli attack.

“We are sticking to this policy and I say so without denying or confirming this report,” he told Israel Radio.

Israel is believed to have attacked targets in Syria on at least four occasions this year, the last time in July, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he would not let sophisticated anti-aircraft, anti-ship and long-range missiles move from the hands of Syria to its Hezbollah ally.

A Latakia activist told Reuters that an explosion had rocked a garrison area that houses an air force brigade loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad near Snobar Jableh village mid-afternoon on Oct. 30.

The activist, who calls himself Khaled, said there was a “total media blackout” about the incident, though ambulance sirens were heard rushing to the scene.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted sources as saying there were four or five explosions at the base, but only limited damage reported. Al-Arabiya news network said SAM 8 anti-aircraft missiles were destroyed.

Former Syrian intelligence agent Afaq Ahmad, a defector now in exile in France, told Reuters on Thursday that contacts of his inside Syria, including in Latakia province, told him Russian-made ballistic missiles had been kept at the site that was attacked.

Assad’s forces, backed by Hezbollah and Iran, are battling rebels in a civil war that has killed well over 100,000.

Khaled said Assad loyalists were frustrated about Israel’s apparent impunity, recalling that the Syrian president had previously indicated Syria would respond to further attacks.

“Yet Israel keeps hitting us and there’s no retaliation. So even the staunchest loyalists are getting very upset,” he said.

Irritation between allies

Israel deliberately remains silent over its actions in Syria to keep a lid on tensions and try to avoid pushing Assad into a corner where he would feel compelled to respond.

Locals said they did not hear warplanes at the time of the blasts and there was initial confusion about who was behind the attack. One source, who declined to be named, said the limited damage on the ground suggested pin-point missile strikes.

A foreign diplomat said that in the past the Israelis had succeeded in creating such confusion by using stand-off ordnance — missiles or gliding bombs that can be released many miles from the target.

There was clear irritation in Israel about the U.S. leaks, which analysts said might signal irritation in Washington over Israeli action at a time when Syria had bowed to international pressure and was dismantling its large chemical weapons arsenal.

“Washington is selling our secrets on the cheap,” said top-selling Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

Israel has grown increasingly frustrated by U.S. policy in the Middle East, worried that President Barack Obama had been too soft on Assad and anxious over his rapprochement with Iran.

Uzi Rabi, director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Tel Aviv University, said Israel had to make many calculations before approving attacks on Syria.

“Israel is sending a message to Assad, saying ‘don’t play games with us,’ but Israel must also realize that the situation is becoming much more delicate than ever before, because this is going against the U.S. diplomatic agenda,” he said.

Rabi said the “working assumption” in Israel was that Assad was so focused on battling rebels that he could not afford to retaliate. However, he expected that Syria would seek international support to prevent Israeli air strikes.

A senior Israeli official, while declining to confirm any Israeli attack, did not expect Syria to respond.

“Assad is disarming [his chemical weapons] out of his own interests. He knows how to make the necessary distinctions,” said the official, who declined to be named.

Technically at war with Syria, Israel spent decades in a stable standoff with Damascus while the Assad family ruled unchallenged. It has been reluctant to intervene openly in the 33-month Islamist-dominated insurgency rocking Syria, however is determined not to see Hezbollah profit from the unrest.

Hezbollah fought Israel to a standstill in a 34-day war six years ago. Israel has warned that any future conflict will be much more brutal.

VOA

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17 responses to “Israel won’t allow Hezbollah to get advanced arms, report”

  1. أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ آدَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْرَائِيلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَاجْتَبَيْنَا إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُ الرَّحْمَن خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا

  2. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    I think the Israelis are clearing the way for a potential joint Saudi-Egyptian air attack
    Saudi’s refusal to take its seat at the UN is nothing but a preparation to act solo if needed be

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      Possibly … although a Saudi Army has rarely been seen …
      “Washington is selling our secrets on the cheap,” says an Israeli … But Hell, EVERYONE is selling Washington’s secrets these days … why not get in on the action??
      Just make a telephone call. YOU know who’s listening … EVERYONE! :-)))

      1. MekensehParty Avatar
        MekensehParty

        I know it’s a bit far fetched but I keep wondering what is SA after by refusing a seat among the big players.
        If I were the Saudi King, I would send some planes in the night to Egypt where they can safely refuel and a week or two after my secret ally Israel bombs all air defenses, these planes go bomb Assad’s forces. The repercussions of such an attack will be very limited and the Saudis won’t even be sitting in the UN to hear them directly…
        I wonder though if they have the balls for such a daring operation?
        They did show some guts removing Morsi against the wishes of the US
        Can they free Syria against the wishes of Russia?

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar

          Well Mekenseh …. I know a lot people in Lebanon were wishing to see the American missiles flying overhead on their way to Assadville … waiting anxiously in hope, as well as hope that a bunch of refugees would leave soon after.
          But it didn’t happen. That’s probably the main reason the Saudis got ticked off and simply decided the UN wasn’t working for them any more. Tsk. 😉
          Besides, they hadn’t put in what they promised to the UNAID fund anyway.

    2. saudi-egyptian air attack on who? saudis dont have an army capable of attacking anyone…saudi egyptian alliance is not sustainable they have different views long term…. if egytian army got rid of mb because of their fanatasicm what makes you think they will align with a salafi supporting regime?

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar

        Only answer to that is to ask … Who has the Big Bucks? 😉

        1. Yes but the russians have stepped in now…they have already agreed to sell them weapons so the rest is innevitable.

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar

            Putin enjoys making money … 😉

  3. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    I think the Israelis are clearing the way for a potential joint Saudi-Egyptian air attack
    Saudi’s refusal to take its seat at the UN is nothing but a preparation to act solo if needed be

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      Possibly … although a Saudi Army has rarely been seen …
      “Washington is selling our secrets on the cheap,” says an Israeli … But Hell, EVERYONE is selling Washington’s secrets these days … why not get in on the action??
      Just make a telephone call. YOU know who’s listening … EVERYONE! :-)))

      1. MekensehParty Avatar
        MekensehParty

        I know it’s a bit far fetched but I keep wondering what is SA after by refusing a seat among the big players.
        If I were the Saudi King, I would send some planes in the night to Egypt where they can safely refuel and a week or two after my secret ally Israel bombs all air defenses, these planes go bomb Assad’s forces. The repercussions of such an attack will be very limited and the Saudis won’t even be sitting in the UN to hear them directly…
        I wonder though if they have the balls for such a daring operation?
        They did show some guts removing Morsi against the wishes of the US
        Can they free Syria against the wishes of Russia?

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar

          Well Mekenseh …. I know a lot people in Lebanon were wishing to see the American missiles flying overhead on their way to Assadville … waiting anxiously in hope, as well as hope that a bunch of refugees would leave soon after.
          But it didn’t happen. That’s probably the main reason the Saudis got ticked off and simply decided the UN wasn’t working for them any more. Tsk. 😉
          Besides, they hadn’t put in what they promised to the UNAID fund anyway.

    2. saudi-egyptian air attack on who? saudis dont have an army capable of attacking anyone…saudi egyptian alliance is not sustainable they have different views long term…. if egytian army got rid of mb because of their fanatasicm what makes you think they will align with a salafi supporting regime?

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar

        Only answer to that is to ask … Who has the Big Bucks? 😉

        1. Yes but the russians have stepped in now…they have already agreed to sell them weapons so the rest is innevitable.

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar

            Putin enjoys making money … 😉

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